2020 BAFTA Game Awards pushes through online, names Outer Wilds as Best Game
Hideo Kojima was also honored with the BAFTA Fellowship
REWIND CEO to Chair BAFTA’s new Immersive Entertainment Advisory Group
British creative agency REWIND has created some notable virtual reality (VR) experiences over the past few years, including Ghost in the Shell VR Experience and Silicon Valley: Inside the Hacker Hostel. Today, BAFTA has announced the appointment of REWIND’s CEO and Founder, Sol Rogers as chair of the new Immersive Entertainment Advisory Group.
The Immersive Entertainment Advisory Group will take over the work done by BAFTA’s previous commitee, the Virtual Reality Advisory Group, with 15 individuals representing both the technology and creative sectors delivering recommendations to BAFTA over the next twelve months.
In a statement about the appointment Sol Rogers said: “Last year we built a great foundation together; this year I’m honoured to be taking the reins and steering BAFTA’s new Immersive Entertainment Advisory Group to continue to make an important and positive impact on our burgeoning industry. The focus will be on educating and supporting BAFTA and its members on all things immersive. While the core team will be smaller than before, there will be plenty of opportunities for those interested and involved currently in BAFTA film, games, and TV to participate in larger consultations throughout the year.”
The group’s mission is to explore the impact that VR, augmented reality (AR), mixed reality (MR) and beyond will have on the current landscape of the film, videogame, and television industries, assess the impact of immersive entertainment and the best ways for BAFTA to facilitate learning experiences. Additionally, the Immersive Entertainment Advisory Group will also engage with the VR/AR and MR communities during its research by hosting events and inviting information and feedback.
BAFTA’s Immersive Entertainment Advisory Group is comprised of:
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Chair – Solomon Rogers – Founder and CEO, REWIND
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Deputy – Dave Ranyard – Founder and CEO, Dream Reality Interactive
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Alice Taylor – Director, StudioLab, Walt Disney Studios
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Annie Robinson – Head of Content and Creator Relations, Magic Leap
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Duncan Burbidge – VP Global Operations, The Third Floor
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Julia Hamilton Trost – Head of Business Development & Content Partnerships, Google VR/AR
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Mária Rakušanová – Director of VR, AR and New Media, Raindance Film Festival. Microsoft Mixed Reality
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Neil Graham – Executive Producer, Sky VR & Sky Cinema
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Nick Rooke – Director of Developer Relations, Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe
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Paul Brown – GM, Vive Europe
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Ted Schilowitz – Futurist In Residence, Paramount
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Tom Burton – Head of Interactive and VR, BBC
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Vicki Dobbs Beck – Executive in Charge, ILMxLab
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Yelena Rachitsky – Executive Producer for Experiences, Oculus
For any further updates from BAFTA on its VR/AR and MR plans, keep reading VRFocus.
BAFTA Appoints PlayFusion’s CEO to VR Advisory Group
PlayFusion, the British technology company behind augmented reality (AR) collectable game Lightseekers has announced that it has been selected by BAFTA, the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, to become an Official Partner.
In addition to the partnership, PlayFusion CEO and CTO Mark Gerhard was elected to the BAFTA VR Advisory Group. As a member, Gerhard will collaborate closely with some of Britain’s top visionaries and thought leaders in the technology and videogame industries.
“We’re honoured to partner with BAFTA, the hallmark for eminence within the creative industries,” said Mark Gerhard, CEO and CTO of PlayFusion in a statement. “BAFTA has always celebrated innovation and excellence within the entertainment universe and our union with BAFTA will help accelerate the awareness and adoption of new technologies and innovations available to consumers.”
Gerhard will provide insights and leadership to the Advisory Group, helping ensure shared knowledge opportunities for the association and UK’s emerging digital technology sector. “Augmented and virtual reality content creators are playing a key role in the games and entertainment industries,” said Emma Baehr, Director of Awards & Membership, BAFTA. “At BAFTA we envision a world where everyone’s life is creatively enriched through excellent work in film, games and television. Our partnership with PlayFusion, a leader in enhanced reality, ensures we’re working towards this vision.”
“PlayFusion pioneered the veritable engine bridging leading-edge creativity with seemingly magical technical innovation,” Gerhard went on to say. “Our mission is to enhance the way people enjoy entertainment and to empower storytellers to seamlessly weave their narrative into the world around us. We look forward to joining forces with BAFTA to help make this more of a reality for fans throughout the UK.”
It was in early 2017 that PlayFusion announced the Lightseekers Trading Card Game, featuring more than 350 printed cards that can be brought to life using the Lightseekers companion mobile app. The game launched in the UK in June 2017 before seeing a wider distribution deal thanks to Toys”R”Us. VRFocus will continue its coverage of PlayFusion and BAFTA, reporting back with any further VR/AR updates.
Pokemon Go Captures BAFTA Award
Pokemon Go has had its share of issues and has faced criticism from many sources, but few can deny it has become a worldwide phenomenon. The developer behind the title, Niantic Labs, has received recognition for its success with the recent BAFTA Children’s Awards.
The BAFTA Children’s Awards have been given out annually since 1996, when it split from, the main British Academy Television Awards. With the rise of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR), it is gradually becoming more common to see major award bodies recognising immersive media with awards. The event is designed to recognise excellence in media aimed at children, whether that is film, television or videogames.
Pokemon Go scooped up an awards in the Game category, beating out another entry in the Pokemon franchise, Pokemon Sun & Moon, and other immersive title, Playroom VR as well as Monument Valley 2.
The ceremony was held at the Roundhouse in London, and features famous names including Matt Baker, Angelica Bell, Hugh Dennis, Pixie Lott, Jorden Banjo, with esteemed children’s author Dame Jacqueline Wilson receiving a Special Award for her outstanding contribution to children’s media.
Other categories covered at the awards included Channel of the Year, Animation, Comedy, Drama and many others, the nominations and final winners of which are available to view at the BAFTA website.
Niantic Labs has continued to work in developing AR applications and technology, as it has revealed the company is working with Warner Bros to develop a Harry Potter-themed AR app called Harry Potter: Wizards Unite, set to release some time in 2018. Niantic has also raised $200 million (USD) in funding to continue its work with AR and location-based technology.
VRFocus will bring you further news on Niantic Labs and Pokemon Go as it becomes available.
Virry VR: Feel the Wild Receives BAFTA Nomination
Launched earlier this year, Virry VR: Feel the Wild is a virtual reality (VR) experience for PlayStation VR which takes players to the African savannah, allowing them to play with wild animals in their natural habitats. Already a winner of the Webby People’s Voice Award 2017 in ‘VR: Gaming, Interactive, or Real-time’, Virry VR: Feel the Wild has now been nominated in the Interactive category of the prestigious British Academy Children’s Awards for 2017.
Filmed on location in 4K VR, Virry VR: Feel the Wild includes live cameras from the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, which the team at Fountain Digital Labs say ‘is something we’re especially proud of’. This technology offers people a chance to see the animals they’ve just interacted with out roaming in the conservancy, and they can also help support them by donating $1 per month with their subscription.
“It’s a tremendous honour just to be nominated for a BAFTA and we’re thrilled that the hard work and dedication of our team is being recognised. Their passion for raising awareness of animal conservation among children and really, people of all ages, shows in the work that’s been done on Virry VR: Feel the Wild,” stated Svetlana Dragayeva, Fountain Digital Labs CEO, in an official statement. “With more and more animal species going extinct every year it’s important now more than ever to make people aware of their plight and to reconnect with nature in a safe and educational way directly from their living rooms. Children especially are crucial as they’re tomorrow’s leaders and policymakers, so making that connection and gaining an understanding of our place in the world and how to share it with wildlife can help to ensure a brighter future for all of us.”
The British Academy Children’s Awards ceremony will be held on Sunday, 26th November 2017. The complete list of nominations can be found on the official BAFTA website. Virry VR: Feel the Wild is available now to download the PlayStation Store, exclusively for PlayStation VR, priced at $9.99 (USD). The subscription service offers live cameras, which have a 15 minute free trial period, costing $2.50 (USD) per month or $3.50 (USD) per month to include a donation of $1.00 (USD) to the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy.
Fountain Digital Labs has teased that information on the next stage of Virry VR: Feel the Wild will be coming soon, and VRFocus will keep you updated with all the latest details.
First Ever BAFTA Awarded To a VR Project
BAFTA have been gradually letting virtual reality (VR) in to the rather exclusive club of movies and TV which are worthy of being nominated for any of BAFTA’s awards. Up until now, though, none had ever made it into the winner’s circle.
David Attenborough’s Great Barrier Reef Dive VR has won an award for Digital Creativity at the BAFTA TV Craft Awards, the first time a VR experience has won a BAFTA of any kind. The VR experience takes viewers down into the ocean to experience the underwater world of coral, colourful fish and dangerous reef sharks. Travelling in a high-tech submersible, Attenborough guides viewers through the intricate reef systems that make up the Great Barrier Reef.
Anthony Geffen, CEO at Atlantic Productions says: “This is a landmark moment for virtual reality as a medium and we are immensely proud to be at the forefront of this content revolution. We are delighted that BAFTA has recognised the risk-taking and innovation which is vital in pioneering a new form of filmmaking – and highlighted the massive leaps which the format has made. At a time when the Great Barrier Reef has never been more under threat, we hope that our experience in this immersive medium will continue to inspire and galvanise the public to engage in its conservation.”
The Great Barrier Reef Dive VR has been demonstrated all over the world to audiences at London’s Natural History Museum, the Australian Museum in Sydney and the Trondheim Science Museum in Norway.
David Attenborough himself will be bringing his distinctive voice to another VR experience, as VRFocus reported recently, with the upcoming historical VR experience Hold The world where VR users will be able to get hands-on with fossils and ancient bones.
VRFocus will continue to bring you news of award-winning VR experiences.
BAFTA Organise an Evening of Talks About Writing for Videogames
Writing for an interactive medium like videogames is a particular skill. Branching narratives and the ability of players to influence the story mean that writers have to think carefully about how to craft a story. Add in the complexity of virtual reality (VR) and it becomes even trickier. Therefore, BAFTA have organised an evening of discussion surrounding the art of storytelling in videogames.
The talk will be lead by Cardiff-based company Talespinners, who specialise in providing story and narrative services for videogames and other interactive mediums. The talk will focus on interactive horror and how the interactive medium can be used to evoke emotions; not just fear, but a range of different emotions and sensations to help immerse the player in the scenario.
Talespinners have worked on a variety of videogames in the past, including Lego Star Wars and Lego Harry Potter. More recently, the company contributed towards the story for The Descendant and SOMA as well as VR RPG Raiders of Erda. The company has a particular interest in horror, and have been involved in creating horror-themed videogames, books and films.
BAFTA and Talespinners have worked together before, as the Talespinners team formed part of the juries judging the Narrative and Ones to Watch categories for the BAFTA Games Awards 2017.
The evening discussion is part of a project from Cardiff university called RPG: Relating Philosophy and Gaming, which runs events aimed at engaging people with videogames and philosophy.
The event is due to take place on Monday 24th April at 7pm at Cardiff Cineworld. Tickets are still available via the BAFTA website.
VRFocus will continue to bring you news of upcoming VR-related events.
VR World Congress 2017: “BAFTA VR: Is VR a legitimate new type of entertainment?” Liveblog
VRFocus returns to Bristol for our final day of coverage from this year’s VR World Congress (VRWC), from which we’ll have a number of items that we will share with you in the days and weeks to come. For now though we once again bring you details from the event in the form of a liveblog brought to you by VRFocus writer Peter Graham.
First up today is Sol Rogers, CEO and Founder of REWIND, James Knight of AMD, Mark Burvill of Aardman, Jon Wadelton of The Foundry and Bradley Crooks of BBC Worldwide in a panel.
“This panel of BAFTA VR Advisory Group Executives and leaders in the VR industry will discuss whether VR is just an add-on to the TV, film and games industries; or a stand-alone medium, deserving of its own ecosystem, rules and regulations.”
Your liveblogger for the event is Peter Graham.
Join us throughout the day on VRFocus for more for more liveblogs and stories from VRWC and, of course, the world at large,
Led by ‘Inside,’ indie titles edge out the big boys at 2017 BAFTA Games Awards
Inside could easily be crowned the king of this year's BAFTA Game Awards, as it took home a total of four awards across multiple categories. Overcooked and Firewatch managed two apiece, giving indies a real edge this year.
The post Led by ‘Inside,’ indie titles edge out the big boys at 2017 BAFTA Games Awards appeared first on Digital Trends.
BAFTA Games Awards nominees announced
The nominees for the British Academy Games Awards 2017 have been announced, and it features some virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) titles in the mix.
Pokémon GO is amongst the nominees up for a BAFTA Games award in the Mobile and Family categories. The popular Pokemon AR game recently released 80 new Pokemon for players to hunt from the Gen 2 game series. Pokemon Go has already collected awards at D.I.C.E and the Golden Joysticks, will it see another win at the BAFTAs?
Other VR/AR videogames that have picked up a nomination are Batman Arkham VR in the British Game and Game Innovation categories. The PlayStation VR title was developed by British-based developer Rocksteady Studios, who previously worked on the successful Batman Arkham series of games, starting with Batman: Arkham Asylum.
HTC Vive title Unseen Diplomacy also got a spot in the Game Innovation category alongside Pokemon Go. Developer Triangular Pixels created this tactical espionage game where players are given the job if infiltrating secret bases. The game utilises the HTC Vive’s room-scale tracking to allow players to physically walk around and avoid obstacles in the virtual world.
Sequel to the cult-classic game Rez, Rez Infinite, has been picked for a nomination in the Audio Innovation category, and PlayStation VR title The Playroom VR gets a mention in the Family category as well.
This isn’t the first time VR games have seen nomination in the BAFTA awards, as War of Words got named in the BAFTA Television Craft awards back in 2015 as was the first VR experience to be nominated for a BAFTA of any kind.
The British Academy Games Awards will take place on Thursday April 6th 2017 at the Tobacco Dock in Wapping, London. Tickets are still available from the official BAFTA website, but there are a limited number of spaces available.
VRFocus will bring you more information on BAFTA Games Awards when it comes in